10 Fun Toppings for Popcorn

With the Oscars coming up this weekend, it seemed as good a time as any to pop a bunch of corn at SEHQ. Even if you don't think you feel like popcorn, it just takes a couple minutes of microwave time for that popcorn-infused air to fill your lungs and make you realize, yes, a handful of popcorn (er, six) is exactly what I needed.

Adding superfluous amounts of salt and butter is never a bad idea but we had fun with more out-there toppings. Lemongrass popcorn? Cool Ranch popcorn? A Japanese twist with furikake? Some other ideas for flavorings are hiding in packaged ramen and the blue-box mac and cheese—those little pouches of super salty powder make for an insta-topper. If you're guilty of popcorn-as-a-meal, these combos make the popcorn even more savory and meal-esque. Ramen popcorn is a perfectly reasonable dinner, right?

Nifty popcorn trick: Just fill a small brown paper lunch bag with two tablespoons of popcorn kernels, tape the bag shut, and microwave for two minutes (give or take) and wait for it to start poppity-pop-popping. If you were raised on the microwavable pouches, this will make you feel like you're breaking all the popcorn laws. Wait, how will I know which side up? Just stand the brown bag up straight and trust, it'll pop without exploding your kitchen.